WJ & W Lang Ltd, one of the UK's leading tanneries in Paisley and a member of the Scottish Tanning Industries Group has been recognised for its outstanding commitment to energy management and environmental policy in a national award by ScottishPower.

Langs, which supplies leather through sister group fishing companies to a number of high profile clients including Volvo, SaaB and British Airways was announced as the overall winner of the prestigious ScottishPower Envirenergy Award at Envirenergy 2001, one of the country's leading environmental conferences.

Jim Paterson, Business Sales Director at ScottishPower comments: "ScottishPower is committed to promoting energy efficiency. The ScottishPower Envirenergy award is designed to recognise businesses that have championed energy and environmental solutions for the workplace."

Langs, was chosen from companies representing a variety of industrial and commercial sectors across the UK. The company, which employs 67 people, impressed the Envirenergy judges through its commitment to ISO 14001 which resulted in a number of successful energy efficiency projects. A considerable achievement for the company is reducing overall energy site consumption by more than 20% since 1995 - this equates to a saving of more than £80,000.

Langs was the first tannery in the world to achieve the international environmental management standard IS0 14001 and the first wet blue tannery to achieve ISO 9002. The ISO 14001 accreditation requires a commitment to continuous improvement, which is subject to a two day audit at six monthly intervals.

Hugh Gilmour, Works Director at Langs comments: "We are delighted to receive this award from ScottishPower, which recognises our continuing efforts in energy and environmental policy implementation. Concern for the environment is integral and fundamental to our business. Since the early 1990s we have had an Environmental Management System in place to continuously improve our environmental performance to not only enhance the working environment, but also to ensure that our long term viability is guaranteed.

"Our energy saving initiatives have proved extremely beneficial. Whilst many tannerys are unfortunately closing across the UK due to ever increasing environmental cost implications we have actually managed to significantly reduce our production costs. Our continuing commitment to environmental policy is one of the core reasons that we are still in business and remain profitable. Our customers are also impressed with the ongoing improvements we make in raising energy standards through continual investment and training. We believe that they have confidence in our ability to provide them with a consistent product, as it shows them that we are committed to the group quality philosophy in all aspects of our work and we are equally confident that we have the necessary resources and infra structure in place to continue to supply them for the foreseeable future."

Langs has been established since 1872 and is the oldest manufacturing company in Paisley. The company produces 9,000 hides per week.

Langs has recently been featured in a case study by the Government's energy efficiency best practice programme.